This list shows the top 50 National Football League quarterbacks with the highest career regular season passing yards , the NFL playoff passing yards leaders with at least 2,500 yards, and the historical progression of regular season record holders.
Tom Brady holds both the regular season record, with 89,214 passing yards, and the playoff record, with 13,400 yards.
In American football , passing , along with running (also referred to as rushing), is one of the two main methods of advancing the ball down the field. Passes are typically attempted by the quarterback , but any offensive player can attempt a pass provided they are behind the line of scrimmage .[1] To qualify as a passing play, the ball must have initially moved forward after leaving the hands of the passer; if the ball initially moved laterally or backwards, the play would instead be considered a running play.[2] The amount of passing yards recorded by each quarterback is a recorded stat in football games.
Regular season career passing yards leaders
Tom Brady is the career passing yards leader with 89,214 yards and career playoff passing yards leader with 13,400.Drew Brees is second all-time in passing yards with 80,358.Aaron Rodgers , with 59,055 passing yards, is the active leader in career yardage.Through 2023 season.
NFL regular season career passing yards leaders
Rank
Player
Team(s)
Seasons
Refs
1
Tom Brady
89,214
335
266.3
New England Patriots
2000 –2019
[3] [4]
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2020 –2022
2
Drew Brees
80,358
287
280.0
San Diego Chargers
2001 –2005
[3] [5]
New Orleans Saints
2006 –2020
3
Peyton Manning †
71,940
266
270.5
Indianapolis Colts
1998 –2011
[3] [6]
Denver Broncos
2012 –2015
4
Brett Favre †
71,838
302
237.9
Atlanta Falcons
1991
[3] [7]
Green Bay Packers
1992 –2007
New York Jets
2008
Minnesota Vikings
2009 –2010
5
Ben Roethlisberger
64,088
249
257.4
Pittsburgh Steelers
2004 –2021
[3] [8]
6
Philip Rivers
63,440
244
260.0
San Diego/L.A. Chargers
2004 –2019
[3] [9]
Indianapolis Colts
2020
7
Matt Ryan
62,792
234
268.3
Atlanta Falcons
2008 –2021
[3] [10]
Indianapolis Colts
2022
8
Dan Marino †
61,361
242
253.6
Miami Dolphins
1983 –1999
[3] [11]
9
Aaron Rodgers ^
59,055
231
255.6
Green Bay Packers
2005 –2022
[3] [12]
New York Jets
2023 –present
10
Eli Manning
57,023
236
241.6
New York Giants
2004 –2019
[3] [13]
11
Matthew Stafford ^
56,047
206
272.1
Detroit Lions
2009 –2020
[3] [14]
Los Angeles Rams
2021 –present
12
John Elway †
51,475
234
220.0
Denver Broncos
1983 –1998
[3] [15]
13
Warren Moon †
49,325
208
237.1
Houston Oilers
1984 –1993
[3] [16]
Minnesota Vikings
1994 –1996
Seattle Seahawks
1997 –1998
Kansas City Chiefs
1999 –2000
14
Fran Tarkenton †
47,003
246
191.1
Minnesota Vikings
1961 –1966 , 1972 –1978
[3] [17]
New York Giants
1967 –1971
15
Carson Palmer
46,247
182
254.1
Cincinnati Bengals
2003 –2010
[3] [18]
Oakland Raiders
2011 –2012
Arizona Cardinals
2013 –2017
16
Vinny Testaverde
46,233
233
198.4
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
1987 –1992
[3] [19]
Cleveland Browns
1993 –1995
Baltimore Ravens
1996 –1997
New York Jets
1998 –2003 , 2005
Dallas Cowboys
2004
New England Patriots
2006
Carolina Panthers
2007
17
Drew Bledsoe
44,611
194
230.0
New England Patriots
1993 –2001
[3] [20]
Buffalo Bills
2002 –2004
Dallas Cowboys
2005 –2006
18
Joe Flacco ^
43,936
188
233.7
Baltimore Ravens
2008 –2018
[3] [21]
Denver Broncos
2019
New York Jets
2020 , 2022
Philadelphia Eagles
2021
Cleveland Browns
2023 -present
19
Russell Wilson ^
43,653
232.2
Seattle Seahawks
2012 –2021
[3] [22]
Denver Broncos
2022 -present
20
Dan Fouts †
43,040
181
237.8
San Diego Chargers
1973 –1987
[3] [23]
21
Kerry Collins
40,922
198
206.7
Carolina Panthers
1995 –1998 [a]
[3] [24]
New Orleans Saints
1998
New York Giants
1999 –2003
Oakland Raiders
2004 –2005
Tennessee Titans
2006 –2010
Indianapolis Colts
2011
22
Joe Montana †
40,551
192
211.2
San Francisco 49ers
1979 –1992
[3] [25]
Kansas City Chiefs
1993 –1994
23
Johnny Unitas †
40,239
211
190.7
Baltimore Colts
1956 –1972
[3] [26]
San Diego Chargers
1973
24
Kirk Cousins ^
39,471
150
263.1
Washington Redskins
2012 –2017
[3] [27]
Minnesota Vikings
2018 -present
25
Derek Carr ^
39,100
159
245.9
Oakland/Las Vegas Raiders
2014 –2022
[3] [28]
New Orleans Saints
2023 -present
26
Andy Dalton ^
38,511
169
227.9
Cincinnati Bengals
2011 –2019
[3] [29]
Dallas Cowboys
2020
Chicago Bears
2021
New Orleans Saints
2022
Carolina Panthers
2023 –present
27
Dave Krieg
38,147
213
179.1
Seattle Seahawks
1980 –1991
[3] [30]
Kansas City Chiefs
1992 –1993
Detroit Lions
1994
Arizona Cardinals
1995
Chicago Bears
1996
Tennessee Oilers
1997 –1998
28
Boomer Esiason
37,920
187
202.8
Cincinnati Bengals
1984 –1992 , 1997
[3] [31]
New York Jets
1993 –1995
Arizona Cardinals
1996
29
Donovan McNabb
37,276
167
223.2
Philadelphia Eagles
1999 –2009
[3] [32]
Washington Redskins
2010
Minnesota Vikings
2011
30
Matt Hasselbeck
36,638
209
175.3
Green Bay Packers
1999 –2000
[3] [33]
Seattle Seahawks
2001 –2010
Tennessee Titans
2011 –2012
Indianapolis Colts
2013 –2015
31
Alex Smith
35,650
174
204.9
San Francisco 49ers
2005 –2012
[3] [34]
Kansas City Chiefs
2013 –2017
Washington Redskins/Football Team
2018 –2020
32
Jim Kelly †
35,467
160
221.7
Buffalo Bills
1986 –1996
[3] [35]
33
Jay Cutler
35,133
153
229.6
Denver Broncos
2006 –2008
[3] [36]
Chicago Bears
2009 –2016
Miami Dolphins
2017
34
Ryan Fitzpatrick
34,990
166
210.8
St. Louis Rams
2005 –2006
[3] [37]
Cincinnati Bengals
2007 –2008
Buffalo Bills
2009 –2012
Tennessee Titans
2013
Houston Texans
2014
New York Jets
2015 –2016
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2017 –2018
Miami Dolphins
2019 –2020
Washington Football Team
2021
35
Ryan Tannehill ^
34,881
155
225.0
Miami Dolphins
2012 –2018
[3] [38]
Tennessee Titans
2019 -present
36
Jim Everett
34,837
158
220.5
Los Angeles Rams
1986 –1993
[3] [39]
New Orleans Saints
1994 –1996
San Diego Chargers
1997
37
Jim Hart
34,665
201
172.5
St. Louis Cardinals
1966 –1983
[3] [40]
Washington Redskins
1984
38
Steve DeBerg
34,241
206
166.2
San Francisco 49ers
1978 –1980
[3] [41]
Denver Broncos
1981 –1983
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
1984 –1987 , 1992 –1993 [b]
Kansas City Chiefs
1988 –1991
Miami Dolphins
1993
Atlanta Falcons
1998
39
Tony Romo
34,183
156
219.1
Dallas Cowboys
2003 –2016
[3] [42]
40
John Hadl
33,503
224
149.6
San Diego Chargers
1962 –1972
[3] [43]
Los Angeles Rams
1973 –1974 [c]
Green Bay Packers
1974 –1975
Houston Oilers
1976 –1977
41
Phil Simms
33,462
164
204.0
New York Giants
1979 –1993
[3] [44]
42
Steve Young †
33,124
169
196.0
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
1985 –1986
[3] [45]
San Francisco 49ers
1987 –1999
43
Troy Aikman †
32,942
165
199.6
Dallas Cowboys
1989 –2000
[3] [46]
44
Ken Anderson
32,838
192
171.0
Cincinnati Bengals
1971 –1986
[3] [47]
45
Cam Newton
32,382
148
218.8
Carolina Panthers
2011 –2019 , 2021
[3] [48]
New England Patriots
2020
46
Kurt Warner †
32,344
124
260.8
St. Louis Rams
1998 –2003
[3] [49]
New York Giants
2004
Arizona Cardinals
2005 –2009
47
Sonny Jurgensen †
32,224
218
147.8
Philadelphia Eagles
1957 –1963
[3] [50]
Washington Redskins
1964 –1974
48
Mark Brunell
32,072
193
166.2
Green Bay Packers
1993 –1994
[3] [51]
Jacksonville Jaguars
1995 –2003
Washington Redskins
2004 –2007
New Orleans Saints
2008 –2009
New York Jets
2010 –2011
49
John Brodie
31,548
201
157.0
San Francisco 49ers
1957 –1973
[3] [52]
50
Steve McNair
31,304
161
194.4
Houston/Tennessee Oilers/Titans
1995 –2005
[3] [53]
Baltimore Ravens
2006 –2007
Rank
Player
Team(s)
Seasons
Refs
Note: Y. A. Tittle passed for 33,070 yards in his professional career, which would place him in 43rd on this list, but 4,731 of those yards came in the All-America Football Conference (AAFC), which the NFL does not recognize statistics and records from to date.[54] [55] Thus, Tittle's career passing yards total in the NFL stands at 28,339.[56]
Historical passing yards leaders
Eleven players are recognized as having held the record as the NFL's career passing yardage leader. The longest record holder was Fran Tarkenton , who held the record for nineteen years.
Player
Team(s) while leader
Career passing yards
Season(s)
Refs
1932 –1942 (11 years)
Arnie Herber †
Green Bay Packers
639
1932
[63]
1,295
1933
2,094
1934
2,823
1935
4,062
1936
4,746
1937
5,082
1938
6,189
1939
6,749
1940–1942
1943 –1958 (16 years)
Sammy Baugh †
Washington Redskins
8,379
1943
[64]
9,228
1944
10,897
1945
12,060
1946
14,998
1947
17,597
1948
19,500
1949
20,630
1950
21,734
1951
21,886
1952–1958
1959 –1963 (5 years)
Bobby Layne †
Pittsburgh Steelers
22,063
1959
[65]
23,877
1960
25,082
1961
26,768
1962–1963
1964 –1967 (4 years)
Y. A. Tittle †
New York Giants
28,339
1964–1967
[56]
1968 –1975 (8 years)
Johnny Unitas †
Baltimore Colts (1968 –1972 )San Diego Chargers (1973 )
33,160
1968
[26]
35,502
1969
37,715
1970
38,657
1971
39,768
1972
40,239
1973–1975
1976 –1994 (19 years)
Fran Tarkenton †
Minnesota Vikings
41,801
1976
[17]
43,535
1977
47,003
1978–1994
1995 –2006 (12 years)
Dan Marino †
Miami Dolphins
48,841
1995
[11]
51,636
1996
55,416
1997
58,913
1998
61,361
1999–2006
2007 –2014 (8 years)
Brett Favre †
Green Bay Packers (2007 )New York Jets (2008 )Minnesota Vikings (2009 –2010 )
61,655
2007
[7]
65,127
2008
69,329
2009
71,838
2010–2014
2015 –2017 (3 years)
Peyton Manning †
Denver Broncos
71,940
2015–2017
[6]
2018 –2020 (3 years)
Drew Brees
New Orleans Saints
74,437
2018
[5]
77,416
2019
80,358
2020
Since 2021 ( 4 years)
Tom Brady
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
84,520
2021
[4]
89,214
2022–present